In 1943, The mission of Dowling Community Gardens began as a victory garden. In short, it was used to provide food during the war. Today the land is provided for people in over 15 neighborhoods and the nearby Dowling Environmental school for educational purposes.
This 4 acre garden is located off of 46th avenue and 39th street, beside the Dowling Environmental School in Minneapolis.
This lush garden has roughly 185 plots allowing over 200 gardeners to use the land each year. They have a waiting list each year. Due to limiting space, do not forget to reserve your spot early.
The Purpose and Mission of Dowling Community Gardens
You may choose to grow anything on your plot. However, if you choose to grow vegetables, the excess food can be donated to the local food shelf June through September.
Many people also choose to help the urban wildlife thrive with their space in the garden. For example, they grow flowers attracting butterfly’s or put out a shallow water dish for the toads. Therefore, the opportunities are endless. Here is a list of more reasons to get involved:
- Grow seed/fruit for birds
- On site composting
- Sustainable garden practices
- Environmental education
- Beauty for others enjoyment
Volunteer at the Garden:
There is many things needed to maintain the community garden. As a result, the members are required to serve 6 or more hour a year. Fortunately, there are many jobs to complete on the land. Therefore, creating work for all skill levels.
For example, the water barrels need to be refilled regularly, the surplus produce needs to be delivered to the local food shelves, the weeds need to be picked, and many other things keep this garden going. Read more on their website to see how you can donate your time.
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Best Gear for Exploring the Dowling Community Gardens
Gear for Rain or shine
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Check out all other Gardens throughout Minneapolis:
- The Sustainable Longfellow Gardens
- Acres of Wild Flower Gardens in the City
- The Colorful Lyndale Park Rose Garden
I’m going to check if they have something like this here in my city. I LOVE this ideas! Thanks for sharing.
What a meaningful and wonderful mission. I love the beautiful gardens.
Sounds like a beautiful place to visit. I wish we had a community garden. I would love to get my kids involved in something like this. Beautiful pictures too.
Firstly the garden looks lovely. Secondly, I like this concept that how anyone can grow anything in here. I really liked the history you had provided of this place!
I am loving this and so wish I was closer as I would want to get on that waiting list. I love gardening and what a great way to do it and meet members of your community that have a love of the same things…. very cool and going to see if there is anything like that here on Long Island.
It’ great that people get a.place where they can grow their vegies but what I love most about it is that the excess food is donated. Great initiative.
Oh wow the information sounds very interesting and great one..glad you shared this with us…found it very informative and useful blog post…though the garden looks nice…
wow, this seems an interesting place to visit. I would search for community garden near me.
I love gardens and areas like this. I always visit the community gardens like this in my area. They have some that are free and some that you have to pay for.
How cool is that! Community gardens, and gardens in general, have made a huge surge since the pandemic hit. It is really cool to see it come full circle and seeing people grow their own food again. It would be so cool to do it in such a historic place too!
What a great mission! And a wonderful opportunity to volunteer!
It looks like a beautiful garden. And I do love that it’s a community one. Sounds like such a lot of fun. I would love to visit it someday.
How nice! I love flowers and this place looks like where I want this summer. Beautiful garden!
This is a great post about gardens! I found it very interesting! Thank you for sharing!
This is so beautiful! I have been volunteering at our local community garden for over two years and we love it!!! This has been our favorite activity.
This is interesting. I’ve never heard of such a place. I would grow fruit plants if I had a space.
I love community gardents, too bad I don’t have mine! It’s a perfect place to grow different kinds of plants. 🙂
I love the mission of Dowling garddens. It is a great way to maintain the garden . I feel people should grow fruits and vegetables and donate to poor people.
Always love flowers and garden! I find them therapeutic and relaxing
Community gardens are always lovely, they are a great source of inspiration for your own garden space.
Wow these are so beautiful. I love gardens, they make me so happy.
I love going to community gardens they are always such a beauty. Thanks for sharing.
Community gardens sound such a cool idea and how wonderful it is to grow your own vegetables and stuff.. if everyone followed this system, how sustainable we can make the day to day living. The garden looks stunning
Such a nice mission! I wish there’s also a garden like that here.